To check your balance online.
1. Payment
Direct Debit
Direct Debit is an easy, convenient way to make sure your council
bills are paid on time without having to worry about a thing.
Direct Debits can be set up to be collected on 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd
or 28th of each month and you can pay over 10 or 12 months of the
financial year starting from each April.
Setting up a Direct Debit is simple - there are 3 different
options:
1. Telephone the Council Tax & Benefit Service on 020 8430 2000
to have your direct debit set up over the phone.
2. Select the relevant Council Tax direct debit request form from this
website.
3. Complete the form attached to the bottom of your Council Tax
bill.
Standing Order
Please telephone the Council Tax & Benefit
Service on 020 8430 2000 for a standing order form.
Online Payments
Select Online
Payments to make a secure payment by credit or debit card over
the Internet.
Credit/Debit Card
Please telephone 020 8430 2000 and select option 2 for payments.
You will be connected to Newham Council's 24 hour automated
telephone payment service.
Bank Giro Credit
Take your payment slip and your payment to your bank or building
society.
Payment Card
You can use the card to make payments at any Post Office or shop
displaying the Paypoint or Payzone. To obtain a payment card please
telephone the Council Tax & Benefit Service on 020 8430
2000.
Paypoint and Payzone will not accept cheques only cash.
Through your bank's telephone or internet banking
service
When paying this way, please ensure that you quote
Sort Code 08-90-11, Account number 61165515 and your own council
tax reference (shown on the front of your council tax bill).
By Post
Enclose one payment voucher and send it with your cheque or postal
order to:
The Council Tax Department
Newham Town Hall
East Ham
London
E6 2RP
Please write your account number, name and address on the back of
the cheque.
2. Liability
The bill is addressed to the person(s) we believe is liable to pay.
If it is addressed to the "Council Tax Payer" you must contact us
on 020 8430 2000 and let us know the name(s) of the person(s)
responsible for paying.
Your Council Tax pays for hundreds of services that you use every
day, from having your bins emptied to educating your children. Each
year, we work out how much we need to run these services, as well
as our day-to-day running costs, for the next financial year. It is
this figure that helps to decide how much council tax you
pay.
3. Exemptions
If you own or rent an exempt property and an exemption code is not
shown on the bill, please phone the Council Tax & Benefit
Service on 020 8430 2000.
The following is a list of the classes of exempt properties where
no Council Tax charge is payable.
These properties must be unoccupied and:
A Requires, or is undergoing, or has undergone, major
repair work to render it habitable or is undergoing or has
undergone structural alteration. Such a dwelling will be exempt for
a period, which is the shorter of:
a) a period of 12 months from the day on which it became vacant
or;
b) a period beginning on the day which it became vacant and ending
six months after the day such repairs or alterations are
substantially completed
B Owned by a charity and unoccupied for less than six
months
C Substantially unfurnished for less than six months
D Left vacant by prisoners, except those jailed for
non-payment of Council Tax or a fine
E Left vacant by someone whose main residence is now a
hospital, nursing home or care home
F Where the qualifying person is the personal representative
of a person, who has died, probate has not been made or less than
six months have elapsed since the day probate as granted
G Occupation is forbidden by law
H Held for the occupation of a Minister of Religion from
which to perform their duties
I Previously the main home of a person now living in another
place (not an NHS hospital, or care home ) so they can receive
care
J (As for class I), providing care instead of receiving
it
K Previously occupied only by one or more students and who
are still students
L Vacant following repossession by a mortgage lender
Q The person is only liable as a trustee in bankruptcy
R A home consisting of a pitch or mooring which is not
occupied by a caravan or boat
T Unoccupied annexe which forms part of another property or
is situated within the area of another home and is difficult to let
separately from that other property
These properties may be occupied or unoccupied depending on the
exemption
M Students hall of residence owned by an
educational establishment or a charity
N Property occupied wholly by student (s)
O Property owned by Secretary of State for Defence and held
for armed forces (not visiting forces)
P Property where the liable person has a relevant
association with a visiting force
S Property occupied only by persons under 18 years of
age
U Property occupied only by severely mentally impaired
people or occupied together with one or more students
V Property occupied by person(s) with Diplomatic Privilege/
Immunity and not British citizens
W Where an annexe or similar self-contained part of a
property is occupied by an elderly or disabled relative of the
people living in the rest of the home, it will not be regarded as a
separate home for Council Tax purposes.
4. Not paying council tax
It is important that you pay each monthly instalment on or before
the due date. If you are unable to pay, for example due to
financial difficulties, please telephone the number shown on your
bill to discuss how the bill can be paid.
If you fail to pay by the due date you will be sent a reminder
notice, which gives you 7 days to bring the instalment up to date.
If payments are not received you will lose your right to pay by
instalments and a Magistrates Court Summons for the full amount due
will be issued.
The cost of the summons will be added to the account. Failure to
pay may result in our Bailiff's attending your property which will
result in additional fees being payable.
5. Corrections & changes in circumstance
You must inform the Council Tax Section within 21 days if
your bill is incorrect or if your circumstances change, for
example:
- If you move. Please use our
Council Tax - change of address form.
- If you are no longer entitled to a discount - e.g. you're a
student who has finished their course of education
- If people move in or out of your property - and if this affects
your entitlement to a discount, benefit or liability to
pay.
If you fail to inform us of any of these changes in
circumstance, you could face a penalty of £70.
For further information you can contact the Council Tax &
Benefit Service by telephone on 020 8430 2000, or by Email at
counciltax@newham.gov.uk
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